A/HRC/22/59 a Military Security branch. The second stated that his nephew had been kidnapped and beaten by Shabbiha while travelling in Latakia governorate. 29. Another interviewee said that he had been stopped by uniformed soldiers in Damascus and required to produce his identification. After it showed him to be from Homs, he was taken to a shop where the soldiers stripped him, beat him and extinguished cigarettes on him. He was later taken to Political Intelligence in Harasta, Damascus. In a fourth case, one man was abducted in July from his village near Tremseh in Hama governorate by Shabbiha from a neighbouring “Alawite village”. He stated that he was severely beaten and released only after payment of a substantial ransom. C. Reports of torture and other forms of ill-treatment taking place at army checkpoints and military barracks 30. Multiple reports were received of people beaten and otherwise assaulted at checkpoints, particularly in Dara’a and Latakia governorates. Two interviewees described physical assaults inside military barracks. 31. In late October, one interviewee reported having been stopped by intelligence agents at a checkpoint in Mhajjah, Dara’a governorate after a word, which was perceived to be pro-opposition, was observed written in dust on one of the windows. The interviewee stated he was taken to a room where he was beaten, given electric shocks and forced to remain on all-fours, imitating a donkey. He was released after being made to lick the windows of his car clean. Another interviewee reported that her husband was asked to report to the Mhajjah checkpoint for questioning and did not return. She stated that his body was delivered to a local hospital the following evening, with puncture wounds to his chest and back, and facial bones, including his jaw, broken. Another interviewee described soldiers beating and then executing an unarmed man at a checkpoint in Harak in mid-November. A former worker at one of the intelligence agencies stated in interview that he regularly witnessed the beating and humiliation of “Sunni commuters” at checkpoints in Dara’a governorate. 32. Three interviewees described abuse of civilians at checkpoints in Latakia governorate in August. The first was beaten, including with metal objects, by soldiers as they questioned him about the presence of anti-Government armed groups in the area. Another described his neighbour being held at a checkpoint run by local Shabbiha and having to contribute money to “purchase” his neighbour’s release. The interviewee stated that he saw evidence of beatings on his neighbour’s back after he was released from the checkpoint. The third described his being detained with four friends by what he described as Shabbiha from a “nearby Alawite village”. They were held for three days, during which his friends were beaten, before they were handed to Air Force Intelligence in Latakia. 33. A former soldier who, prior to his defection, was deployed at a checkpoint in Hama, gave numerous accounts of soldiers beating civilians passing through the checkpoint, stating, “I cannot possibly count all such incidents.” 34. There were two reports of persons being physically assaulted inside military barracks. One interviewee was taken to a barracks in Idlib, where he was hung by his wrists and beaten while he was interrogated about other soldiers’ plans to defect. The second interviewee described people being detained at military barracks in Aleppo city. While investigations are on-going, there is information emerging which suggests that people are assaulted not only while held in detention by Syria’s intelligence agencies, but also while held by regular army units inside army camps and under the supervision of army officers. GE.13-10627 71